Fleetwood lays down a marker at Gleneagles

First time European Tour winner Tommy Fleetwood held his nerve in a three-way play-off to claim the 15th Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and shatter the 18,211 gallery’s dream of back to back Scottish victories.

First time European Tour winner Tommy Fleetwood held his nerve in a three-way play-off to claim the 15th Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and shatter the 18,211 gallery’s dream of back to back Scottish victories.

In a dramatic finale, home favourite Stephen Gallacher edged past clubhouse leaders Scott Henry, from Glasgow, and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger with an eagle at the 18th, giving final round leaders Fleetwood and Argentinian playing partner Ricardo Gonzales an 18 under target to aim for as they wrestled to follow on from last year’s champion Paul Lawrie.

Fleetwood, just 22, endured an emotional roller coaster after coming to grief at the 15th, when his name disappeared from a leader board he had topped.

Gallacher also had his troubles, but he came roaring back from a seven at the 11th to post two birdies and an eagle over the closing stretch as he sought to follow on from Marc Warren and Lawrie as home winners.

Fleetwood, who finished with an eagle, par and birdie, and Gonzales, both birdied the 18th to join Gallacher for a 513-yard play-off in flat calm conditions.

And while his two rivals had to settle for par 5s at the 18th, the Southport man held his nerve to convert his birdie opportunity.

“It is unbelievable,” he said. “I’ve been out here on Tour a while and I haven’t even had a top five the last two years. And then all of a sudden you come out with a win.

“I don’t know how it happened, but it just seemed to come a bit easier. I was nervous as hell on the first green and after that I felt pretty calm. And I felt fine within myself.

“It was so tight, you couldn’t really do much. It was a bit claustrophobic on the leaderboard.

“To win is absolutely amazing. You look at all the winners on Tour, and I’ll admit, I’m so jealous when somebody wins, but finally it’s my turn.”

Fleetwood’s parents and 14-year-old family dog Maisy joined the celebrations by the 18th green.

“Maisy comes to every event in Scotland, because dogs can do what they want here, can’t they?” he laughed. “She came to any amateur event I’ve played in Scotland and at county level. She was always the one supporting. She was diagnosed with cancer a couple of weeks ago so this is pretty special.”

The spectre of the Ryder Cup was hanging over this year’s Johnnie Walker tournament and European captain Paul McGinley took note of fine performances by young contender Fleetwood and Gallacher, who surprised even himself by recovering from a neck ailment which had threatened to prevent him teeing-up on home soil.

“I wish the Ryder Cup points started a week earlier, but there are a lot of players that are a long way ahead of me in the running for a spot,” said Fleetwood.

“All I can do is keep trying to improve every week and keep playing as good as I can. I finished the season off well last year, and I like the couple of courses that are coming next.

“The Ryder Cup is a long way off. It’s obviously a lifetime goal and something I want to do, but whether that’s next year or in three years’ time or five years’ time, it doesn’t really matter as long as I can play and achieve a goal. Next year would be lovely, that’s for sure.”

Fleetwood’s amateur career included victory in the 2009 Scottish Amateur Strokeplay, in a year which saw him play alongside Big County stars Wallace Booth and Gavin Dear at the Walker Cup in the USA. He stepped up to the pro ranks three years ago.

Comrie pro Booth recovered from an opening round 78 to remain focused and card an impressive 69 on day two of the event, but it wasn’t sufficient to claw back the ground lost the previous day and he failed to make the cut.

Ryder Cup skipper McGinley said the drama played out over the closing holes augured well for next year’s tournament, with the final five holes on the PGA Centenary course awash with birdies and eagles on Sunday.